


Ashes to Asshat

by UppityBitch



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 21:28:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8816809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UppityBitch/pseuds/UppityBitch
Summary: Author’s note: This is a gift for dani_grl82 for the Klaroline Winter Wonderland Gift Exchange 2016. I hope you enjoy it! In this AU, Klaus is seeking a rare ingredient that will help him break his hybrid curse. He’s convinced he’s found the perfect clueless human to unknowingly help him on his search. Of course, it turns out his pretty little human isn’t quite so clueless...among other things...





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dani_grl82](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dani_grl82/gifts).



> Please note I’ve taken some creative liberties with Kenyan geography and Samburu tribal customs.
> 
> Warning: A smidge of smut!

“There may be a great fire in our soul, yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it, and the passersby see only a wisp of smoke. — Vincent Van Gogh

 

 

            ‘Volcanologists do it when it’s only logical’ was emblazoned across the faded navy t-shirt Caroline was wearing. She tucked some sweaty strands back into her twin braids distractedly as she pulled up the latest geologic map of Kenya’s Mount Kulal. Too focused on measuring the distribution of rocks surrounding the volcano, she failed to hear the door to the research cabin open.

            “Charming shirt, love,” a seductive British accent called out, startling her from her research. An impossibly attractive man with dirty blonde curls and a troublemaker’s smirk regarded her with an intensity that by all accounts _should_ have made her uncomfortable rather than inconveniently aroused. His gray eyes traced over the curves of her shirt once more and cheekily added, “You’ve demonstrated my clearly hasty assumption of what a Trekkie fan would look like.”

            Her blue eyes flashed at his teasing tone and she replied bluntly, “Asinine assumptions are an excellent way to identify asshats so the rest of us can avoid you.” She looked him over, refusing to react to the unexpected dimples he flashed as his smirk deepened. “I’m Caroline, but you probably already knew that considering we’re perched on the side of an extinct volcano in northern Kenya and the nearest town is more than 30 miles away. So, either you’re looking for me or you’re hopelessly lost.”

            She took in the multiple necklaces and curls that were far too perfect to be achieved without a precise amount of gel and exacting fingers and amended her statement with, “Actually, you look like you’re on your way to a rock concert. Men really are stubborn creatures when it comes to asking for directions, aren’t you?”

            Something dark flashed in his eyes as his deep laughter filled the small cabin. “You’re a little spitfire, aren’t you sweetheart?”

            “You have no idea,” she muttered, crossing her arms in front of her. “So, who are you?”

            The handsome stranger smiled and said in his seductive accent, “Klaus Mikaelson, on special assignment from the Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group.” In one fluid movement, he managed to remove her hand from the keyboard to lightly graze her knuckles with his soft lips.

            She barely managed to keep her mouth from flopping open unattractively at his unexpected gesture, but then bristled at the amusement dancing in his eyes. “What special assignment from VMSG? No one from WOVO has contacted me about this,” she said in a suspicious tone.

            As though sensing she was gearing up for a battle, Klaus casually folded his lean frame into an empty chair near the computer monitors and answered lightly, “Professor Atticus Shane contacted my group personally to gain our insight into your latest findings. He felt that pooling our resources would yield more favorable results.” He jerked his chin toward her keyboard and added, “Feel free to contact him if you don’t believe me, love.”

            Blue eyes full of fire, Caroline didn’t bother hiding her aggravation as she gracelessly pounded out a terse email to send to her absent-minded supervisor. She had worked for the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) for years, happily relocating to various volcanic sites around the world as dictated by Professor Shane. While it wasn’t unusual that he had forgotten to tell her about Klaus, something still felt _off_.

            She received a brief email reply almost immediately, apologizing for not informing her of the change in plans and urging her to collaborate harmoniously with Klaus so that it may benefit both organizations. Her feeling of unease lingered as she glanced over the short response from Professor Shane. Normally, he was overly loquacious, unable to keep from turning every email response into a mini-lecture over whatever area of research he was pursuing at the time. Carefully studying a somewhat tense Klaus, she shrugged and said, “Okay. Looks like this checks out. Where do you want to start?” 

            Relaxing at her words, he flashed her a grin and answered, “The VMSG noticed the unusual heat signatures your recent satellite images revealed. Let’s start there.”

            Nodding, Caroline accessed the latest thermal images and explained, “As you can see, the ancient conduit is still mostly intact. The unusual heat signatures I’ve uncovered may be the first sparks of life this volcano has seen for more than a million years.” Her face lit up in excitement as she added, “In fact, there are fossils embedded in hardened volcanic ash found near the basin that are from the early-to-late Pliocene. If true volcanic activity is uncovered in this extinct cone now, it would be unprecedented!”

            Chuckling at her infectious enthusiasm, Klaus dragged his chair next to hers and pointed to the top of the image. “Actually love, my group is most curious about the odd heat signatures found on the surface. What can you tell me about those?”

            Caroline stiffened, straightening her spine as she noticed how close he was leaning toward her. She ignored the intoxicating aroma of leather and the hint of musk he seemed to radiate. In her experience, scientists tended to smell like sweaty research grant desperation and stale Funyuns. “You mean the random scattering of red and gold orbs on the caldera?” She eyed him skeptically, adding, “Surely you’re aware that Mount Kulal is covered by lush vegetation after millions of years of dormancy? The circular depression the caldera has made at the top has been covered over, first with ash and lava and then, over time, with sediment and vegetation.” A teasing smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she asked, “Are you telling me that the VMSG flew you all the way out here to study images that could be anything from hikers to butterflies?”  

            “No,” he practically growled in aggravation, his accent becoming more pronounced as he seemed oddly accusatory. “In all of the time you’ve spent on this bloody mountain, you haven’t noticed those peculiar heat signatures that appear with some frequency? They practically dance upon the wind as though they have wings.” He cocked his head to the side, studying her carefully. “How has this ongoing unusual occurrence escaped your notice?”

            Caroline could feel her hair-trigger temper getting the best of her as she leapt to her feet. “Seriously?! How dare you come into _my_ territory and try to tell me how to do my job?! I’ll have you know I’m damn good at what I do, otherwise WOVO would never have allowed me to be stationed all the way out here by myself!”

            His gray eyes became cold steel the louder she became and his jaw twitched before he opened his mouth to obviously defend his bullshit assumptions, which only served to enrage Caroline further. “And unless it’s escaped your notice, Klaus, we’re volcanologists, which means we’re meant to study the _internal_ structure of volcanoes along with the sediment they expel. We don’t tie up our bare-bones research grants that we have to shamelessly beg for each fiscal year on futile flights of fancy just because we get an itch to go chase butterflies in the sunshine!”

            She jammed her gold glitter-chipped thumbnail at the thermal images and screeched, “And a stoner college freshman who flunked earth science can tell you that _unusual occurrence_ is clearly sunlight reflecting off of the metal GPS sensors I installed to measure thermal anomalies, you insufferable asshat!”     

            While she stood there, catching her breath after her tirade, Klaus considered her, as though carefully weighing his words. A variety of emotions flitted across his handsome face — surprise, then anger, before finally settling on something akin to respect tinged with amusement. He relaxed into the creaking office chair, allowing his well-sculpted arms to loosely drape along the arm rests. He seemed to wait ages in the tension-filled silence, stoking the sizzling energy between them. Finally seeming to settle on his response, he licked his lips invitingly and inquired, “ _Futile flights of fancy_?”

            At her confused expression, he chuckled. “Say that melodious phrase five times fast and I’ll declare you the most eloquent volcanologist I’ve ever met, love.” Eyeing her toned legs exposed in threadbare old gym shorts, he couldn’t help but add, “You’re already the most stunning.”

            Huffing in exasperation, she asked incredulously, “ _That’s_ what you got out of that? I can tell you right now you aren’t like _any_ volcanologist I’ve ever met. Where did you study?”

            Klaus seemed stricken by her question, but his brow smoothed out as he answered, “Undergraduate studies in geophysics at Columbia with master’s and Ph.D. degrees in geological sciences with a minor in geochemistry completed at Stanford. Satisfied?”

            She made an impressed noise despite herself, and reluctantly returned to her chair. “I did state schools for undergrad. Had to work my way up to Stanford for the environmental geosciences grad school program.” She tried to subtly wipe away the trail of sweat that had gathered near her temple during her brief flare of anger. “You must be really smart or really rich to have landed such an auspicious start in our field,” she said bluntly.

            “I’m a bit of both,” he chuckled, gray eyes dancing with mirth. “Tell me, sweetheart, in your eyes, which is the most offensive?”

            Snorting, she said, “In my experience, ‘really rich’. There’s this subpar Van Wilder-wannabe fratboy who clearly got his job at WOVO because of his family’s obscene wealth. He met me at _one_ Geological Society conference and then managed to weasel his way onto my project and now he’s my main contact with headquarters.” She rolled her eyes, adding, “Tyler keeps making these creepy jokes about how we should simultaneously perform _chemistry_ analysis on all those _hard_ surface samples.”

            Dimples flashing, Klaus snickered, “How charming. And I imagine you always have a witty retort, love?”

            Caroline rolled her eyes, surprised that he already knew her so well. “I keep threatening to tell the rest of the department that his instrument puts the ‘micro’ in ‘microprobe’, but he keeps misconstruing that as my interest in his instrument.” A thought just struck her and she added, “Come to think of it, you two actually have the same background. Same degrees at the same schools and everything. Huh, what are the odds?”

            “Indeed,” he muttered, clearing his throat unnecessarily. “So getting back to your images,” he said, swiftly changing the subject, “Can you pull up your data files that chart the anomalies you found?”

            Nodding, she accessed the organization’s shared drive and added the graphs she had painstakingly plotted for the past year. “Note the elevated heat signatures. Now, I’m obviously not suggesting that volatile heat in hydrothermal fluids would still be present in an extinct volcano, but it is fascinating to theorize about their origins.”

            She turned her blonde head, noting how Klaus was staring intensely at her chart, carefully studying the entries for each month. Clearly still suspicious of the mysterious stranger, she continued her explanation. “Of course, as you know, the preferred method for analyzing hydrothermal fluids is through the Foo Fight RS instrument, but I’ve experimented extensively with the Twenty One Pilots diagram protocols.” Watching him out of the corner of her eye, her tone was light as she asked, “Has that been your experience in the field as well?”

            “Of course,” he agreed amicably, “It appears my findings have been similar to yours.”

            Biting her lip to hold in her laughter, she was suddenly distracted by the familiar sound of a rumbling engine outside. With a happy grin, she hopped out of her chair and out of the cabin, eagerly greeting an immensely rusted off-road vehicle. Two men dressed in brightly colored shukas climbed out to greet her, each holding a large woven basket filled to the brim with a variety of crops including green beans, mangoes and onions. Centered on top of each basket was a beautiful bouquet of calla lilies in brilliant shades of gold, red and orange. They set the baskets down at Caroline’s feet, then backed away, waiting for her to speak.

            Caroline smiled gently, her palms gracing the tops of each overflowing basket and then spoke rapidly in their native tongue, her voice melodious and confident. The men seemed pleased with her statements and responded quickly, their dark eyes darting to Klaus uncertainly. Caroline noted their distraction and looked over her shoulder at Klaus who stood off to the side, his face closed off and calculating. She contemplated the attractive stranger, and seemed to reach a decision. “Some of the Samburu tribe are having a feast tonight. You want to join them?”

            Surprise flickered across his face. “You speak their language quite well. How long have you lived here?”

            She shrugged her shoulders disinterestedly. “Awhile. I always make it a point to get along with the locals and a couple of them were generous enough to teach me the Maa language.” She cocked an eyebrow, adding, “Something tells me that you usually come prepared too. Let me guess — you made it a point to try to learn Swahili before you came over here, but didn’t bother learning regional dialects?”

            “Something like that. Although my stay here is temporary, so it didn’t seem prudent to my goals,” he answered stiffly, clearly vexed at being at a disadvantage.

            “Ah, yes, your goals,” she intoned mockingly. “Tell me, Klaus, will hanging out with the locals conflict with these goals of yours?”

            “Not in the least,” Klaus smoothly replied. “I would be delighted to join you.” He offered his hand, leading her toward the battered vehicle that was missing its doors, and helping her climb into the back before joining her. “I must say, I’m impressed to see how well you have assimilated here. Tribesmen in this region are not typically known for welcoming outsiders.”

            Frowning slightly, Caroline asked, “You mean the baskets? They were just being neighborly. We came to an understanding awhile back and everyone has adopted a kind of ‘live and let live’ attitude. Plus, their feasts are pretty delicious — especially to someone who’s been living mostly off instant soup and sandwiches.”

            The decrepit engine turned over with a cough and a sputter before it finally started up properly, and with a lurch, they started driving back down the mountain. As they took a sharp corner, the vehicle came precariously close to a rocky ledge, the lush green valley below was a stunningly beautiful view but also a reminder of their immense height. Caroline’s blue eyes widened as she stared down at the emerald green forest floor far below and Klaus squeezed her hand, playfully asking, “Someone in your line of work cannot afford to be afraid of heights, sweetheart.”

            She laughed softly, patting his jean-clad knee mockingly. “Heights are a weakness of mine. You definitely have me figured out.” If she took note of his strange use of “your” rather than “our” when referring to their profession, she didn’t comment, instead choosing to watch the seemingly endless forest of lush greens and rich browns pass by. She breathed in the wonderfully familiar scents of soil and leaves, the pleasant, earthy smell bringing a smile to her face.

            “Enjoying the fresh air? I wasn’t going to say anything, but your research cabin was a bit stuffy. I wouldn’t have pegged you for a smoker, love.” His gray eyes twinkled as he watched her sunny smile dissolve into a scowl.

            “Stupid interns were here not that long ago and managed to stink up the place with their cheap cigars. It’s almost impossible to completely get rid of the smell of smoke — trust me, I’ve tried,” she huffed in annoyance.

            In an obvious bid to change the subject, she leaned forward and tapped one of the men on their shoulders, chattering away in their native language. She seemed satisfied with his response and turned to Klaus, assessing him carefully. “It’s a special occasion tonight, so they’re roasting a cow. They’re also making a traditional drink of fermented milk and blood. Something tells me you aren’t the squeamish type, but I thought I’d warn you so you didn’t freak out and offend them.”

            Surprise flashed in his gray eyes as his lips curled into a knowing grin. “The blood won’t bother me, sweetheart. I must confess, you have taken me by surprise. You’re comfortable drinking blood?”      

            Caroline shifted awkwardly in the torn canvas-covered seat. “Comfortable? No. Blood isn’t really my thing, but these people have been good to me, and I want to be neighborly. Besides, I didn’t get into this line of work to just sit behind a computer all day. I want an adventure,” she declared in a determined voice.

            The sun dipped below the horizon just as they reached the base of the mountain. A large bonfire greeted them, the remains of a butchered cow off to the side as the delicious, tangy aromas of roasted meat permeated the air. A group of women called out to Caroline, their dozens of beaded necklaces clinking as they continued their intricate dance around the fire. She surprised Klaus again by taking his hand, weaving through the groups of men jumping and dancing, their long braids painted with red ochre gleaming in the firelight. They came to a stop in front of a large, flat stone piled high with sticks of charred chunks of meat. Taking two, Caroline handed one to Klaus and tore into her own with gusto, the juicy morsels melting on her tongue.

            Two women with shaved heads, signifying their status as village elders, handed Caroline and Klaus small wooden bowls filled with a pungent liquid before bowing their heads solemnly. Caroline thanked them and touched the brim of her bowl with Klaus’ before cheekily telling him, “Drink up!”

            While Klaus seemed to take his time imbibing, the fermented milk and blood drink was devoured hastily in one gulp by Caroline, as though she wanted to get it over with quickly. She set down the bowl and returned to her meat, wiping her chin hastily when she could feel the succulent juices starting to drip. She blushed when she noted his attention and said, “At least the beef is good, right?” 

            Something primal heated his gaze as he boldly swiped at a stray smear of beef fat on her cheek and then shamelessly sucked on his finger as he rumbled, “Delicious. A feast for all the senses, love.”

            She could feel her body heating in response, and she lowered her gaze to finish eating in silence. They sat down on crude benches fashioned out of shipping pallets, watching the laughing, clapping natives as they feasted and danced in the firelight. Before long, several women dressed in simple shifts of golds and reds danced over to Caroline, rapidly speaking and gesturing toward the fire. Nodding, Caroline stood and explained to Klaus, “They like me to join some of their dances when I’m here.”

            Intrigued, Klaus watched as the villagers gave loud whooping cries and raised their hands to the night sky as Caroline joined their group of spirited dancers. While her bright blonde hair had all but come loose from her messy twin braids and she was dressed in wrinkled, threadbare clothes, she still shone as brightly as any star in the sky. Her bubbling laughter was infectious as she shook her hips and clapped her hands, the rhythm of the dance being kept by everyone’s loud stomping. The dust that was kicked up into the air seemed to swirl like mist around the group, curling about ankles in calves in an almost erotic display.   

            Heat from the fire seemed to fuel the dancers’ energy and their bodies trembled and shook in a frenzy of passionate, joyful movement. Before long, Caroline felt hands insistently pull her hips backward into a lean, hard body, and she was seized by an electric current that traveled down her spine.

            His husky voice growled in her ear, “You play a dangerous game, love. How long do you plan to tease me?”

            Pushing sweaty strands away from her slick skin, she twirled suddenly, sliding into his arms so that their noses were nearly touching. “I’m a bit too old for games, Klaus, and something tells me you are too.” She threaded slim fingers through his belt loops and entreated breathlessly, “No more teasing.”

            “Agreed,” he said, moving his head down to her neck, smelling her glistening skin.

            Taking his hand once more, she coyly said, “It’s a nice night for a walk.” Turning briefly to the villagers, she merrily waved and called out her thanks, prompting them to bow their heads as she passed them.

            Caroline led him back into the dense forest covering the mountainside, the noises of the animals more pronounced without the loud rumbling of an engine to drown them out. Screeching bats and twittering sparrows and cranes swooped overhead, while baboons and Vervet monkeys cackled and wailed, their chatter echoing throughout the woods. She was surprisingly sure-footed in the dark as she smoothly navigated them around large boulders and giant trees with low-hanging moss and vines.

            Klaus pulled her to him suddenly, startling her as he cupped her chin, punishing her lips with an aggressive kiss that left her breathless. She responded eagerly, plunging her fingers into dirty blonde curls and pulling him to her with a surprising forcefulness. Grunting unintelligible words, he reached down and picked her up in one fluid gesture, laying her down on top of a wide fig tree root.

            Her fingers drifted to the stretchy fabric of her shorts, slipping them down her legs as he hungrily watched. He placed his hands on her knees, easing them apart as he knelt before her. “You smell divine,” he rumbled, appreciating her signature fragrance of honey now mixed with the bonfire’s smoke that clung to her delectable skin. He ran his nose down the length of her calf, breathing in the intoxicating aroma of her need for him.

            “Taste me,” Caroline demanded with a whine at the back of her throat, reaching down to pluck at the strings of her thong, suddenly finding it an irritating hindrance.

            His gray eyes darkened as they followed the movement of her fingers, and he swiftly yanked at the seams until they snapped, leaving her completely open for his greedy stare. He licked his lips as he watched her dip her index fingers into her folds, slowly spreading herself with a cunning smile upon her sweet lips.

            Klaus was helpless against her blatant invitation and dipped down to place the flat of his tongue against her dewy skin. Groaning at that first delicious taste, he plunged ahead, swirling and plunging along her folds and aching core, causing her thighs to clench and buck against him.           

            Caroline curled her arms behind her head, clutching the smooth bark of the root as she tossed her tangled blonde hair from side to side, unable to bite back the moans of pleasure that tore from her throat at his skillful tongue.

            Just before she shattered, he cruelly pulled back with a smirk, noting her distress. “I want to feel you come, sweetheart,” he confessed, making quick work of his dark shirt and jeans. Soon, he stood over her, proudly fisting his erection and groaning softly. His fingers slipped over his thickness, teasing the ridges just so with a few drops of his imminent release.  

            Caroline’s blue eyes were alight with desire as she felt her tongue trace the contours of her lips. “Yes,” she panted, pulling up her faded t-shirt and cupping her bare breasts with both hands. “I need you in me,” she added, pinching one nipple until it was painfully hard despite the night air being heavy with humidity.

            His expression became predatory as he wrenched her legs around his waist, entering her swiftly with a sigh of contentment. He felt her tighten around him, calling out his name in delight as he increased the power of his thrusting hips. He leaned over her to palm her bouncing breasts, savoring her soft flesh that carried an intense warmth that sank into his bones. Her thick nails scored down his back and he grit his teeth, groaning at the exquisite feel of her.

            Soon, she was clenching around him, her orgasm leaving her a relaxed puddle of sweat-soaked skin and tangled blonde waves. With a few more strokes, he chased his own release, collapsing against her soft body with a pleasurable sigh. As she ran her fingers through his sweaty curls, she blinked in surprise when he looked at her with gray eyes tinged in bright gold. “Aha! Knew it,” she said with relish, chest still heaving to catch her breath.

            Klaus carefully sat up, brow raised as he asked, “Knew what, exactly?”

            She leaned over the thick tree root until she found her ragged shorts, sliding them back on as she smoothed down her t-shirt. “Well, at first, I thought you were one of those sexy were-jackal men, but they usually don’t put as much effort into the seduction game as you seemed to be doing, plus they tend to slobber more,” she explained, trying to find where her mud-streaked canvas shoe had fallen. Tossing back her hair, she added, “You were obviously supernatural, but you’re clearly after more than just a good time.”

            “Hybrid,” he said gruffly, pulling on his jeans and shirt as he explained, “Well, currently a vampire, but my werewolf half was locked away by a curse I’m trying to break.” Eyeing her curiously, he asked, “How did you know I was supernatural? I’ve studied you extensively and there’s no indication that you’ve ever encountered my world.”

            Caroline crossed her hands in front of her chest stubbornly. “Seriously creepy, Klaus. Also, it wasn’t that difficult to figure out you barely knew how to spell ‘volcanologist’, much less what they do. The Foo Fighters and Twenty One Pilots are bands, not research methods, you smug asshat!”

            Somewhat embarrassed, Klaus said gruffly, “I may have been a bit hasty when I compelled that insufferable Tyler for information about you and your research. It was a bit tedious listening to him prattle.” He cocked his head to the side, a playful smirk gracing his lips. “That lecherous creature had reverse-engineered your laptop’s web camera so that it remained on constantly without your notice.” At her noise of outrage, he said soothingly, “I compelled him to erase all of his files and to never to even consider invading your privacy in such a despicable manner ever again.”

            “And what else,” she said dryly, noting the way his gray eyes slid off to the side guiltily.

            Sighing in annoyance, he confessed, “I may have also compelled him to punch himself in the face every time he had a lustful thought about you, sweetheart.”

            Caroline couldn’t help the giggles that erupted from her throat, and soon she was doubled over the tree root laughing. Klaus found himself joining her laughter as he resettled beside her on the tree root. As her laughter died, she studied him carefully before she said, “You mentioned you’re trying to break a curse that locked away your werewolf side. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?” Biting her lip, she said guardedly, “What do you want from me?”

            He noted the concern in her tone and he gently took her hands in his, staring into her eyes as he said in a serious tone, “Nothing that will cause you harm, I promise, love.” He released her hands and stood up once more, pacing a few steps as he said, “It makes things easier, you already knowing about the supernatural. Do you know of phoenixes?”

            Spine straightening, Caroline planted her hands on her knees, gazing up at him in a curiously defiant manner as she nodded. “Yes. What do you want with one?”

            He raised his eyebrows at her oddly defensive tone. “All I need is a single feather as one of the ritual ingredients that will break my curse. I have no interest in harming such a magnificent creature, I assure you.”

            Blue eyes narrowing, she said, “One feather. That’s it? You won’t try to kill it or cage it?”

            Sensing her reluctance, Klaus knelt before her, grasping her hands once more. “I swear I will not harm it, love. All I need is a single feather.”  

            Caroline bit back a small smile as she replied, “I said _try_ , Klaus. Phoenixes are incredibly powerful, cunning creatures.”

            “You know where one is then,” he said excitedly, pulling her to her feet. “Will you help me?”

            “Of course I know where one is. You obviously figured out that fire and ash are their life force; therefore, phoenixes are attracted to volcanoes and make their homes near them.” Seeming to reach a decision, she unexpectedly leapt onto his back and said cheerfully, “I’ll show you one, but it’s at the top of Mount Kulal. Why don’t you flash us up there?”

            Grasping her legs around his waist, he said curiously, “Near your cabin?”

            “Yup. Convenient, huh?”

            He raced up the side of the volcano, reaching the summit near the tiny research cabin. He looked around excitedly, as though expecting the phoenix to materialize before him.         Caroline hopped off of his back and walked confidently toward the middle of the grassy, sunken surface of the caldera. He watched in confusion as she stripped off her old t-shirt and shorts once more, kicking off her shoes. Soon, she stood before him, her beautiful nude form inviting and practically glowing in the starlight. Before he could ask any questions, an immense fire bloomed from her belly, licking at her breasts before it raced over her entire form, engulfing her in brilliant red, orange and golden flames.

            As the fire burned away, a magnificent bird of prey was revealed, its powerful talons the size of Klaus’ head and its gleaming feathers a breathtaking explosion of rich reds and golds that mimicked the fire from whence it came. Standing nearly twice as tall as Klaus, its glowing golden eyes peered at him, as though judging his worth.

            Klaus was clearly awestruck as he watched the magical creature spread its massive wings, sending ripples throughout its plumage. His fingers twitched for his paintbrush as though he knew he would spend years trying to capture this moment.

            As suddenly as the incredible creature appeared, fire raged across its form once more, leaving behind the bare form of ivory girl. She clutched between her fingers a long, blood red feather, and she handed it to him with an impish wink.

            “I can never hope to repay you, love,” he whispered somewhat hoarsely, obviously reeling from her stunning revelation.

            Her blue eyes flared golden briefly as she linked her arms around his neck, drawing him closer. “Well, first, you should learn that I enjoy my orgasms in multiples.”

            “And second,” he asked with a seductive smirk, brushing blonde strands away from her lovely face.

            “There are approximately 1500 volcanoes in the world and I’ve only seen 841 of them.” Cocking her head to the side, she asked, “How about showing me the other 659 once this curse nonsense is settled?”

            “I think we can reach an accord,” Klaus agreed amicably, pulling her in for a kiss.    

 

 


End file.
